Cities

Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai holds a special place in my heart, I first fell in love with the city a decade ago on my first visit to Thailand and felt an instant connection to this wonderful place. From the rich cultural history and incredible food, to adventure activities and nightlife, there is something for everyone in this city of over 1 million. While you could easily spend a month here exploring the various hill tribes, coffee growing mountains, waterfalls, caves, elephant sanctuaries and of course temples, these short guides will focus more on a tight itinerary for those here a week or less that want to get the most bang for their buck.

There are hundreds of coffee shops in Chiang Mai and we personally think Rue Thai in Mae Rim is roasting/brewing the best coffee in the country right now. Closer to the city center you have shops like Blue Coffee with their single serving drip coffee bags from Myanmar, Thailand, and Brazil plus shops like Ponganes, Rist8o, Graph and Ministry of Roasters. If you are a cold brew coffee drinker or you just can't take the crazy heat of Thailand, don't miss out on La Moon cold brew where you can get some really delicious iced coffee drinks as well as takeaway 1 and 0.5 liter bags of concentrated cold brew.

Pattaya

Thailand's city of sin has plenty to offer both day and night. While we won't be getting into the naughty side of Pattaya as there is already plenty of reading material available elsewhere, it is an international city with tons of amazing food, activities and experiences to make your trip to Thailand a memorable one. Day trips to the island of Koh Larn, a trip to the stunning Sanctuary of Truth, an overnight stay on Koh Samed, water parks, international concert venues, world class family friendly live shows, beach activities, you name it and Pattaya has it. I wouldn't swim at the beaches in the city but a short trip to the islands and you will have nice clear water to splash around in. markets can be found all along beach road at night and the public transportation is fairly straightforward with red trucks along the two main one way streets at the beachfront.

Ayutthaya

The history and beauty of Thailands ancient capital of Ayutthaya is absolutely breathtaking. the restoration and preservation of the temples and ancient city provides visitors with a wonderful glimpse into the past. the layout of the city itself is quite unique with its moat and canals running through the city. A morning at the national park to visit the ancient city followed by an afternoon trip around the moat to visit the ancient temples with a dinner of giant river prawns or a trip to the local night market to end the day is a perfect addition to any itinerary to Thailand. This can be done from Bangkok by train, bus or private car being only about an hour away. Stay overnight and enjoy an early morning exploring the local markets and temples before the tour buses arrive for picture perfect moments and nice cool weather. See the Ayuthaya blog for a more detailed description and map.

Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai is the northernmost city in Thailand with stunning temples built by the some of the most famous artists and designers in Thailand. You have the famous Wat Rong Khun / White Temple, Wat Rong Suea Ten / Blue Temple, Wat Huay Pla Kang and the Black House museum which all are more recent creations that push the limits of artistry and architecture.

To the south you can find Singha Park where they have concerts and events such as the Hot Air Balloon Festival. Coffee is a huge product here in the province and a trip to Doi Chang where they grow, roast and brew their own coffee is not to be missed. You can sip on what I think is one of the best coffees at Tripple A coffee in a small Akha village in the mountains while eating traditional hill tribe food at Akha Kitchen, it is a truly wonderful experience. A stop at temple Wat Saeng Kaeo Phothiyan (see top left photo) blends traditional Thai Buddhist statutes and architecture with hidden/subtle homages to modern art and technology.

The north of Chiang rai you can visit the golden triangle area of Sop Ruak along with the historical town of Chiang Saen and the border town of Mae Sai for a unique Wild West type feel as it borders the war torn country of Myanmar. From Mae Sai, drive west/south along route 1129 on the border with Myanmar toward the Mae Fah Luang gardens for the most stunning veiws of your life looking down into the valley in Myanmar. There are small coffee shops and restaurants along the way to enjoy your view as you make your way to Doi Tung for another coffee village renowned for their agriculture. Continue your trip south and west to Mae Salong where you will find a Chinese village in the Thai mountains. The ancestors of these villagers were Chinese nationalist soldiers who fled the communist Chinese and established a military base here. When Thailand faced its own communist insurgency, the Chinese nationalists answered the kings call and defended the country earning themselves citizenship to Thailand. If you want more time exploring the northern part of Chiang Rai I would suggest an overnight stay in Mae Salong or at the Kataliya Resort where you can wake up to amazing sunrise views from your mountaintop bungalow. The resort also has a private park/zoo at the base of the mountain where you can walk around or use free bikes to see birds, snakes, feed fish, deer, and other animals in a beautiful setting.

In the City itself I have some recommendations on the map but a stop at the night market for some shopping and to eat some hotpot while watching some traditional Lanna singing or dance should be on your list. There are some good restaurants along the river that will offer Thai and international dishes as well as cake and coffee shops which all offer a wonderfully peaceful setting on the water. Make sure to wake up early (like 6am) and take a walk around the city to see monks collecting alms and to try some of the wonderful early morning Thai street food like grilled pork skewers with sticky rice and a nice hot Thai style coffee with condensed milk while the city wakes up around you. People start the day early here as the heat of midday can be brutal.

Bangkok

its no easy task to cover a city of 10 million, but navigating the public transportation system will give you the ability to explore the entire city at your own pace for a very reasonable price. Between the underground train and the elevated skytrain, you can reach most any major destination or neighborhood in the city. If you have your eyes on something not along one of these lines, there are also a system of ferry boats that operate throughout the canals of Bangkok, motorbike taxis that you can find on almost every street in the city, noticeable by the drivers wearing orange reflective vests, and rideshare apps like Grab, Bolt and Indrive plus your standard taxis.

There are so many things to do and see in Bangkok that will depend on what you are into that I couldn't begin to cover it all here. In my opinion, places like Khao San Road, Chatuchak market or Nana Plaza are worth experiencing once, but I would rather spend my time at a high level Muay Thai fight or at a concert/live music venue to check out what the Thai music scene is all about. A trip to Chinatown either in the daytime or evening is a great way to spend some time pigging out on foods you never tried before. There are plenty of rooftop bars scattered around the city if you want some photos or nice views and there are several river boat sunset/dinner cruises that can be a decent experience with the chance to see the city from a unique perspective.

There are numerous parks in the city that become busy as the sun sets and the heat finally gives way to some cooler temps. You will find many Thai people getting their walks in or joining an aerobics class or doing tai chi in the park. There are also exercise stations with calisthenics machines. There are plenty of malls to walk around in during the heat of the day with the skytrain providing direct access to many of them. The food can be quite good and they have all the western style and Thai restaurants you could imagine.